Presidents 40 and 43
I just got this week's issue of WORLD Magazine, and the front page as well as two articles are devoted to Ronald Reagan. And rightly so. I'm one of those people who is all for putting Reagan's likeness on Mount Rushmore. The way I see it, Reagan has done more for our country than any other president in history. Washington did a great job leading our fledgling nation, Lincoln held us together during a civil war, and Eisenhower was just great all around, but besides them, none of our other presidents can hold a candle to Reagan.
Reagan dared to challenge the Soviet Union and he won. Because of Reagan, millions of people can live free, without the fear of Communism always in the back of their minds. Because of Reagan, the Berlin Wall, the symbol of the Iron Curtain, fell and thus became a symbol of capitalism and democracy. Because of Reagan, I don't have to fear Soviet missiles being aimed at my country.
I very much regret not having been alive during Reagan's presidency. It must have been so exciting to be an American during that time!
Now, however, I have a new conservative president to watch. President George W. Bush faces a threat that is comparable to that of the Soviet Union; the threat of radical Islam. The radical Muslims are every bit as bent on the destruction of America as the Soviets were, and the Muslims have religion to fuel them. I pray that President Bush will have the courage to stand alone in the international community and say "Enough! No more suicide bombings! No more genocide! No more oppression of other religions!" Peace through strength is a trademark of great leaders, and I pray that President Bush will not bow to pressure from arrogant France, or from other nations that, because they are so mired in pluralism, can't even see the danger that is right in front of their face. These nations have kept their mind so open that it fell out, and idiots in high places can have disastrous consequences.
The jury is still out on George W. Bush. He hopefully has four more years in which he can either live up to Reagan's standard, or fail to do so. May God grant him the courage and strength to lead with excellence.
posted by jacob.thrasher @ 6/18/2004 12:45:00 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:COMMENT POLICY
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I'm thinking similiar things about good ol' Pres. Bush too. I really want, hope, he succeeds.
I hope I get to vote this election. I gotta tell ya, when ya live in the military it's hard to get yourself registered. I wanted to get registered in SD, since they tend to be Democrates in their voting leanings (try to stop a bad trend..hehe). But I was told by somebody that I shouldn't 'cause I could get taxed. Though I don't know on what, since I don't work. o_O <-- confused/astonished/perplexed face
Anyway, so now we're trying to get registered in FL (where my husband used to live). But they make you fill out all these forms and stuff and it's REALLY confusing. ;__; <--teary eyes
I tell ya, registering to vote shouldn't be so freakin' hard! :P
I thought the Soviet Union fell because the Soviet system of economics, based on centrally planned control of the economy, was a fundamentally flawed system. Shortly after the Second World War, the Soviet system seemed to be performing well. But over time, and especially as it was compounded by the "let's ignore our structural problems" philosophy of Brezhnevism, the Soviet system drew to the brink of collapse. They were falling farther and farther behind, and utterly locked out of this magical new thing called "globalization." And Gorbachev knew it.
You might want to read up on the Helsinki Accords as well. They played a big role in nudging the Soviet Union toward greater rights and freedoms for citizens.
Gorbachev was also the pivotal leader in the Soviet Union who let all the satellite republics go. He refused to put down the Solidarity movement in Poland, giving the green light for a wave of collective action across Eastern Europe. It was the thirstiness of the people of Eastern Europe for democracy, as well as their courage and Gorbachev's leniency, that ultimately caused the Soviet empire to fall apart.
Reagan was a sunny optimist who knew how to talk tough. But his contribution toward ending the Cold War is highly overrated.
Just another quick comment: We're still not entirely safe from the threat of Russian missiles. Read this story from the Christian Science Monitor to see what I mean:
http://search.csmonitor.com/search_content/0616/p01s04-woeu.html
The article is titled "Back to the future: new US-Russia arms race."
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